2.0 MyBlogLog.com

I've got this really bad habit. I get very into whatever I'm doing. So a few hours ago I started looking into a site that many bloggers LOVE, and lucky the academy awards is on in the background, because I've just looked at the time, and it's been a good couple of hours...

Lucky I can just say I was watching the Academy Awards!

So what got my attention in such a big way. Blogging!

I've been blogging for a few years now, but it's really starting to take off both for company's and individuals.

Some bloggers use their blogs to generate traffic for their main sites and some bloggers have set up their blogs as stand alone sites.

So I wanted to find out about MyBlogLog which is very popular amongst bloggers. Basically, a lot of blogs have a bunch of pictures of other bloggers that have visited their sites often.

So for example, if you look at the latest postings of prolific bloggers Dave Duarte and Mike Stopforth you'll see down the right side of both their pages, a widget with lots of pics of their visitors.

I was curious to know whose these visitors are. Turns out if have registered with MyBlogLog, AND you are logged in to the MyBlogLog site, that whatever blog you visit that runs MyBlogLog's recent readers application will show your profile image.

But at the current time, only certain blogs are able to run the MyBlogLog widget (typepad, wordpress, blogger etc).

MyBlogLog is actually about TRACKING outbound links to see which links are most popular on blogs, BUT it appears that the images are the pulling power for MyBlogLog growing at a rapid rate. People like to see people, and so it's kewl to go to your favourite site and see who has visited recently that you know. And that means stickiness for the site.

I set up a few profiles, in my own name and in company names...

THIS IS THE INTERESTING PART..

Unlike MySpace, where more profiles lately are profiles in the name of the company or organisation, MyBlogLog mainly has INDIVIDUALS. So the company's haven't caught onto this - YET...

A few individuals have started creating their image with their company name on it - this is probably the best way of doing it, as:

...It's an individual that is moving around rather than a company, and so the person can develop relationships. It's different creating relationships when your name, profile and personality are CORPORATE.

Also, I set up a demo using a site that isn't a blog. And created the image with a Call to Action. Then I went to a couple sites with "readers images" on it - sure enough, within a few minutes, we had exposure on a couple of sites. However, if you aren't regular readers of the blogs that have the "readers images" on, you're probably wasting your time trying to get traffic this way, as very few people will click on your profile image (no matter how "call to action" it is) and even fewer will click through to your website.

BUT...

If you are a reader of lots of blogs, then EVEN if you DON'T have your own blog, go to MyBlogLog, create an account (I'd recommend a personal profile rather than a corporate profile), and then when you are reading your favourite blogs, MAKE SURE you are logged into MyBlogLog.

Also, this is the Essential Part - have your image as either a "Call to Action" OR your company logo. Very few people will click on random faces of people UNLESS they know them, but they will click on a company logo or call to action. I tried one of the names as the name of the website, but I think that is taking it a little far, as it looks a little spammish - your company image, with the name of your website NEXT to it. eg WebsiteExampleDotCom - rather just call yourself something which creates you as an individual and have your image speak for itself.

I don't think this is a HUGE traffic spinner, but if you are a big blog reader, then there it can just get you MORE traffic (and perhaps some internet friends) by being logged in when you visit the sites.

NOW LETS LOOK FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN:

I first thought that this was a fantastic idea for all blogs to have the "recent readers" pictures on - it creates stickiness.

But I quickly changed my mind, as your competitors would be spending the whole day on your site tracking who was reading your blog. So on the TrafficSynergy Blog, a lot of you are affiliates with us already, or will hopefully soon be working with us.

I'd love to see whose been reading our blog lately, but I KNOW that a couple of our friendly competitors would create camp at our Blog.

The academy awards are now over, a BIG THANK you to Jonathan Leger who has refunded me while I was writing this, (see "I feel Honoured"), and as usual I haven't packed, and I'm leaving for JHB tomorrow (luckily in the afternoon, but i'm already pretty busy, so will have to find an hour to throw some stuff in the case).

Keep those questions coming. I'll try answer as many of them as I can...

EE